Version A(#128)

Technical Details

I acquired my Gibbs Springwire, Version A at the NSS Auction
in 1998.

Version A is 103 mm. tall, 64 mm. wide, 36 mm. thick, and
weighs 148 g. The shell is bent from
1/8 in aluminum to form a U-shaped groove. The cam is cast aluminum.
It has 11 teeth, and is tapered near the tip, something some copies
have failed to do. The cam rides on a steel pin axle that is drilled
at the end to accept a retainer. The retainers on this Gibbs are
0.1 inch nylon line. The same material is used as a pin keeper.

There are no markings on Version A.

Comments

Gibbs ascenders are still the premier ascender for long free-hanging
ascents. This is one of the first 50 made. This basic design has lasted
for decades, almost without change.

Version B(#61, 252, 2248)

Technical Details

I acquired my first Gibbs Springwire, Version B sometime in
the 1980s, and got a second one from Bill Boehle at the 2008 Old
Timers Reunion. I acquired another in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun's collection.

Version B is 103 mm. tall, 64 mm. wide, 36 mm. thick,
and weighs 152 g. This ascender uses the same cam, shell and pin as Version A,
but the nylon retainer and pin keeper have been replaced with
a spring wire (much like a thicker guitar string).

Comments

The original owner cut the tip off the cam. This saves weight (but only 8 grams),
but means that the ascender cannot be used on very thin ropes.
Of course, I wouldn't recommend using excessively thin ropes to begin with.

Version C(#1521, 1977)

Technical Details

I acquired a Gibbs Springwire, Version C ascenders from Myra Nicholas in 2009 and a second from David Jones in 2014, both in used condition.

Version C is 103 mm. tall, 59 mm. wide, and 36 mm. thick, and weighs 150 g. Version C features a new the cam design. The number of teeth
was reduced to 9. The upper part of the cam was reshaped to give
a distinct rib.

Both sides of the shell are stamped "GIBBS PROD."

Comments

The new cam performs better than the original. The rib is for aesthetic reasons, and serves no utilitarian
function. The new cam was dubbed the "racing cam."

Version D(#62, 1978, 2343)

Technical Details

I acquired a Gibbs Springwire, Version D ascender from John E. Weinel,
Inc. in 1989. I got a second one used on eBay from David Jones in 2014 and two more in new condition from Bill Liebman at the 2017 Old Timers Reunion.

Version D is 104 mm. tall, 59 mm. wide, 37 mm. thick,
and weighs 155 g. This version adds another terminal crimp for attaching a keeper cord. Unlike later designs, the cord is tied to the cam eye instead of being directly attached to the cam. The rib on the top of the cam is wider as well, 9 mm. instead of 5 mm. on the previous version.

Both sides of the shell are stamped "GIBBS PROD."

Comments

The red cord keeper is original, and matches the cord used on the following version. The second one in my collection has the crimp but is missing the cord. The "new" ones acquired from Bill came with cords, but it was left to the buyer to tie the cords to the cams.

Version E(#63, 1548, 2244)

Technical Details

I acquired three Gibbs Springwire, Version E ascenders from Gibbs Products
Inc. in 1973, and three more from J. W. Jackson in 2011. I acquired another in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun's collection.

Version E is 104 mm. tall, 59 mm. wide, 36 mm. thick
and weighs about 182 g. Version E introduced yet another cam design, also with 9 teeth.
The rib was eliminated. A hole was drilled in the top and side
of the cam, and a keeper cord was glued in place. The shell is
anodized.

Both sides of the shell are stamped "GIBBS" with a double underline.

Comments

I have two minor variations of this version, one with the cam
keeper cord attached to the left side of the shell and one to
the right.